Liechtenstein… a place you’ve probably heard of before as the 6th smallest country in the world, but how much do you know about this tiny yet extraordinary country?! Although Switzerland is a direct neighbor to the Principality of Liechtenstein (with just a 75-minute drive from Zurich!), I didn’t know too much about it before I had the chance to explore it for myself.

This Alpine country nestled in between Switzerland and Austria is not just a playground for outdoor lovers but has so much to offer culturally as well. There is something for everyone within the 160 square kilometers of Liechtenstein!

Despite the rainy weather, I was able to explore a few beautiful parts of the country during my 2 day stay in Liechtenstein. I had the chance to visit 3 of the 11 municipalities: Vaduz, Triesenberg, and Balzers. Here’s what I got up to!

Forest adventure trail Vaduz
This trail provides two options for visitors, a short loop (2km) and a longer one (6.4km). I opted to complete a part of the longer loop, so I could reach the newly built viewing platform, which is made from 15 Vaduz larch trees. From the platform, I had a beautiful view of the Rhine Valley and the panoramic mountains. There are many informative and interactive points along this trail which is also a part of The Liechtenstein Trail, a 75 km walking path that passes through all 11 municipalities.

Wals Fable Trail
With 3 separate stages of this trail, there are many legends and stories to discover! Hiking along this path, you are taken through a cultural landscape with stunning panoramic views of the Rhine Valley and the surrounding mountains. The trail uses information stations to tell the stories of the Walser community of Triesenberg. I hiked the 1st stage starting at the Walser Museum in Triesenberg heading towards Masescha. It was about 5km and good hiking shoes are needed for this stage. My favorite section was in Hinder Prufatscheng where there is an old Walser settlement and an old barn dating back to 1793. The views at this part of the trail were incredible!

Visiting Gutenberg Castle
Unfortunately, due to poor weather, I was not able to rent an E-bike to complete this part of the trip. However, I would definitely recommend doing so for this activity! There is even a possibility to do part of the Liechtenstein Trail with the E-bikes that can be rented from the Liechtenstein tourism center in Vaduz. But as the weather was not on my side, I took the bus from Vaduz to Balzers to check out the Gutenberg Castle instead. The castle itself dates back to the 13th century and visitors can walk to it from the nearby village. Unlike the Vaduz castle which serves as a residence to the princely family and is closed to the public, the Gutenberg castle is open for visits.

I had a wonderful time exploring our friendly neighbor and learning more about what it has to offer. For all of you who are living in Switzerland, don’t forget to participate in the Hoi Nachbar competition that the Principality of Liechtenstein is running until the 28th of May. There are daily prizes to be won and a raffle for a grand prize too! Check it out here: www.tourismus.li/hoinachbar